The masterminds behind the Micra Cup: series founder/promoter Jacques Deshaies and Nissan Canadas Didier Marsaud.Andrew McCredie BOWMANVILLE, Ontario In 2014, Nissan Canada had the daunting task of reintroducing the Micra after a two decade-plus absence. That fourth-generation model was already four years old when it arrived here that year, and its most notable feature was its price: with a base model under $10,000 it was the least expensive new vehicle in Canada. Viewed another way, the cheapest.Needless to say, positioning the Mexican-built, 1.6-litre four-door sedan would be a challenge for Nissan Canada execs like Didier Marsaud. That is until Quebec journalist Jacques Deshaies came calling with a crazy idea.Five years later at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and on the eve of the 62nd race in the Nissan Micra Cup, the two men reflected on the wild ride of establishing a racing series that has become part of the Canadian racing ladder system.We created the Micra Cup because we were bringing back a model to Canada that had not been here for 23 years with a name that most people did not know or remember, explained Marsaud, Nissan Canadas director of corporate communications. And as it was the least expensive car in the Canadian market, we wanted to demonstrate that this car is fun, reliable and works. The exclusive-to-Canada series features six race weekends in Ontario and Quebec between May and September, with drivers competing in 109-horsepower Nissan Micra base model S cars that are equipped identically. The appeal to drivers is two-fold: as a true spec style series what separates winners from losers is the driver, not the car; and for about $30,000 you can compete in the entire series. Plus, unlike so many feeder series, the Micra Cup gets exposure on TV and social media. For the first time at Circuit Mont-Tremblant, the two races this weekend will be aired live on the series Facebook page (Coupe Nissan Micra Cup) and on its YouTube channel, Micra Cup TV.Goals set, and achievedFor Deshaieswho has owned a race team, driven race cars and served as president of the 2004 Trois-Rivieres Grand Prixhis goal when he pitched the idea to Marsaud, and eventually then-Nissan Canada president Christian Meunier, was at the five-year mark to try and convince the young drivers in karting that their next step up the racing ladder is Micra Cup.Looking at the current grid, and noting that he signed up two young karters for next season just a day earlier, the affable Quebecer said he has achieved that goal. In fact, this weekends season finale double-header at Circuit Mont-Tremblant sees rookie Marco Signoretti, a former karting, battling series veteran Kevin King, a karting instructor, for the overall drivers championship.Likewise, Marsaud said he and Nissan had achieved their goal. And that was to raise awareness about the Micra.I love motorsport and a lot of people in Nissan Canada love motorsport, but our job is not to do motorsport, he said. Our job is to sell cars.Canadian-made grassrootsThe success of the Micra Cup hasnt gone unnoticed by others in the company, notably Nissan Global Motorsport Director Michael Carcamo.When Didier brought us the concept, we were over the moon, he told me in the Nissan pits at the Brooklyn Formula E race in August. It was really going back to the grassroots, an opportunity to give people something that we dont think is very common today. And thats an accessible racing platform. And making it a one-series highlights on one side the fact that we can produce a reliable and great racecar at a low cost. And at the same time the drivers get to be the stars of winning the race.And as Deshaies notes, when a manufacturer invests in a race series with one or two cars, sometimes they win, but most likely they dont. In the Micra Cup, each race the podium is three Nissans.Drivers’ thumbs upRacer Kevin King missed the opening race of the first season, but has competed in every race since, and he said that what has impressed him the most about the Micra Cupapart from the intense on-track competitionis how Nissan has supported the series.When the program started there was lots of talk about a lot of PR, and that Nissan (Canada) was going all in, the Trois-Rivieres native said. Throughout the years you have seen they are putting in a lot of effort, and I know all the drivers really appreciate that. Valrie Limoges has also been driving in the series since that first season, and she echoes Kings sentiment about the quality of the competition, adding she loves the fact that its a driver-focused series.There are some things drivers and crews can do on the set up of the cartire pressures and suchbut its mostly the driver, she said. I have learned that I am really, really competitive in my mind and that I really love racing. I have more expectations that will hopefully lead to something good in the future.Western alienationAs to any regrets, Deshaies said his only one is not being
Origin: Micra Cup: The little race series that could